"Guy! Are you alright?" Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai rushed to their fallen comrade's side, their faces etched with concern.
"Agh! It hurts… Don't touch me! Just… don't!" Guy's agonized groans were the only reply. The backlash from consecutively opening seven of the Eight Inner Gates had ravaged his body—his chakra pathways were scorched, muscles torn. Combined with the devastating force of Goku's final tap, Guy was clinging to life by a thread.
"I warned you not to provoke him," Kakashi said, his voice a mix of reprimand and relief. The fact Guy could still scream meant he would likely survive. "And you opened seven gates for a simple spar…"
Guy lay broken, yet a fanatical spark still burned in his eyes. "I never imagined… such a monster existed. Seven gates… and I couldn't even touch the hem of his gi. To think Taijutsu could be cultivated to such a realm… I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. But he… he showed me a higher peak! My passion burns hotter than ever! This… this is the youth of a man! Ow, ow, OW—!"
"Just lie still and recover! We're not in the mood to carry a corpse back to Konoha," Kurenai snapped, though the worry in her eyes betrayed her harsh tone.
By now, Bulma and the other women had gathered around. Seeing Guy's battered form, Bulma gasped. "Goku, didn't you go a bit overboard? He's practically pulp!"
Saeko knelt, examining him with a critical eye. "These injuries… they're not just from impact. They look like severe internal backlash from a forbidden technique."
Son Goku stepped forward, using the moment as an impromptu lesson. "Correct. He used a kinjutsu called the Eight Inner Gates: the Gates of Opening, Healing, Life, Pain, Limit, View, Wonder, and Death. Opening even the Fourth Gate, the Gate of Pain, places a tremendous strain on the body. Opening the Seventh, as he did, leaves you in this half-dead state. Open the Eighth… and you die. Guaranteed."
He then delivered two sharp kicks to Guy's side, eliciting fresh howls of pain. "If you want to master Taijutsu, train your body properly! Relying on shortcuts like this is just a slow suicide!"
"Hey! Stop that! He's critically injured—are you trying to finish him off?!" Kurenai grabbed Goku's arm, glaring at him with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
"Die? Not that easy," Goku snorted, shaking off her grip. With another swift kick, he sent Guy tumbling through the air before using his ki to halt the ninja's descent, suspending him mid-air. Guy's pained shriek was more piercing than a slaughterhouse pig's. Only his iron will kept him conscious.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Kakashi and Asuma tensed, hands instinctively moving toward their weapon pouches, though fear of Goku's power kept them from attacking.
"You two, trembling like leaves, think you can be my opponents?" Goku gave them a dismissive glance. With a casual flick of his wrist, a burst of invisible force swept Kakashi and Asuma off their feet, slamming them hard against a thick tree trunk. Kurenai, however, remained untouched—a clear case of favoritism.
"If it weren't for this lady's sake, I wouldn't bother saving him," Goku said, nodding toward Kurenai. He turned his back to the group, and his eyes shifted imperceptibly. Guy was in too much agony to notice the subtle change as Goku formed a series of hand seals. A soft, white light emanated from his palm, enveloping Guy's broken form. In mere moments, the life-threatening injuries vanished, leaving Guy healed and whole.
Goku's eyes returned to normal as he sighed inwardly. Having to use hand seals is such a hassle. I really need to practice casting these jutsu without them.
Guy touched his chest in awe, then bowed deeply. "Thank you! I never imagined your Iryō Ninjutsu was so profound! To heal injuries of this severity instantly… I doubt even Tsunade-sama could match it!"
Kakashi and Asuma approached, bowing stiffly. "Lord Goku… we apologize for our earlier suspicion. We misunderstood your intentions."
Goku waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing happened. You didn't see anything. Understood?"
The three Konoha ninja exchanged a glance, then nodded in unison. "Understood, Lord Goku."
Kakashi then gestured toward the four bound prisoners. "And these four…?"
"Trash. Dispose of them," Goku said, his tone devoid of emotion.
Though they would have preferred to interrogate them for intelligence, Kakashi and the others knew better than to argue. They nodded in acquiescence.
Upon hearing their death sentence, the four masked men merely flinched, their faces hardening with grim acceptance. In the shinobi world, death was a constant companion.
"To witness such a battle before we die… we have no regrets," their leader said, closing his eyes. "Make it quick."
Kakashi's kunai flashed, a clean and merciful end. The moment they had tried to kill Kurenai, their fate had been sealed.
"Lord Goku, with this matter settled, we must return to Konoha to report," Kakashi said, bowing once more. "With the Uchiha incident, many minor powers are testing our borders. We cannot linger."
Goku nodded, then turned his smile to Kurenai. "How about it, beautiful? Fancy joining us for some sightseeing?"
"I have no interest in being part of a harem. Enjoy your journey," Kurenai replied flatly, though a faint blush touched her cheeks.
"What a cold response, after I played the hero," Goku said, feigning hurt. He didn't press further. There will be other chances. She'll be mine sooner or later.
After exchanging farewells, Kurenai watched Goku's retreating figure until he disappeared into the forest. A complex mix of emotions flickered in her eyes. "He is… remarkable. A shame he's such a philanderer."
She turned to follow Kakashi and Asuma, unaware of the brief, sharp flicker of jealousy in Asuma's eyes as he watched her. His childhood friend was showing interest in another man—how could he not mind?
---
ChubbyChaebol here! I crave POWAAAAA!!! FEED ME POWER STONES!!!! ( ´∀｀ )b